Vacuum cleaner air nozzle and adjustable brush therefor



Oct. 14, 1952 F Q WALKER 2,613,388v

VACUUM CLEANER AIR NOZZLE AND ADJUSTABLE BRUSH THEREF'OR Filed MaTCh 15. 1947 A @d MM@ carpet.

Patented Oct. 14, 1952 UNTED STATES PATENT UFFICE 'VACUUM CLEANER -AI'R NOZZLE vAND STABLE 'BRUSH THEREFOR Frank G. Walker, Santa Barbara, Calif.

Application March l5, 1947, `Serial No. 735,'0'5

I Claims. 1

'The v'present .invention relates Lgenerally Ito suotio'n cleaning apparatus, and more particularly to van improvedand ynovel 'attachment or head for use with vacuum cleaners of the tank type to increase 'the eniciency iand facility -with which such-tankhtype cleaners `may vbe used.

'The present invention 'is -directed to "the problem "of providing 'an attachment or 4head -f`or 'a tank-type vacuum cleaner which will be eiTective for cleaning `vboth carpeted areas and bare or Smooth 'floor areas so that it is unnecessary to change rattachments when moving from one type 0i area 'to the other, orconversely, so that it is unnecessary -to clean only one typeof surface at a time. `is well known, the conventional attachment -or -head *for tank-type `vacuum cleaners adapted to be used lfor cleaning rugs and carpeted areas comprises a suction nozzle which is "adapted to be moved over the -area to be cleaned in intimate contact with the rug or In connection with vbare floor areas, however, 'a brush is essential in order to 4'properly clean 'the surface and, when such brush -is lluti- 1ized,suctionmust be applied within the lorus'h to 4draw in'a'ir through the bristles `of the brush in order :torender the-attachment or head effective for the intendedpurpose. Heretofore, vit has been necessary `to'fchange the attachment orhead every time the vacuum cleaner `is utilized with afdlfferentkind of surfaceyor, inthe alternative, to clean "all of one type o'fsurface such las the rug or carpeted areas in one continuous operation and then lthereafter lto clean the uncarpeted or Asmooth floor areas. Either `procedure has the obvious disadvantages of requiring extra work and time.

It 'is aeeneral object `'ci the present invention to provide `an improved `and novel 'attachment or "head for Va tank-type 'vacuum cleaner, which head is utilizable lselectively'for either carpeted or 'bare floor'are'as 4and which, in either selected use, 4has all of the advantages `of `a separate attachment made especially Afor such use.

A more 'specific object of -the invention is to provide an attachment or head `for 'a vacuum cleaner of the 'tank type which ma-v be transformed from a 4carpet cleaning nozzle to a bare oor brush so that theadvantages of either form may *be obtained selectively without need `for Channing attachments.

Al'urther object of the Vinvention 'is 'to 'provide an attachment or'head vof the Acharacter described which maybe 'transformed .from rug or carpet cleaning "type 'to bare v'floor .cleaning Vtype 'in 'a simple manner without the 'use of springs or levers 'or similar devices requiring 'manipulation by :the operator.

[A further object o'f' the 'invention is to'iprovde 2 a device "of the character described which 'is l'of simple construction v'and 'relatively vinexpensive V'to manufacture, which device is fabricated with a minimum lof 'parts 'and which is of rugged construction so as to withstand normal wear without breakage or malfunction'ing.

Other objects w-ill be in part obvious and -in part pointed Iout more *in "detail hereinafter.

The invention 'accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereafter set 'forth and the scope of the "application of which willbe indicated in the appended'claims.

In the drawing- Figure 1 is'a front view/of the improved attach-- ment formed in accordance with the invention;

`Fi'g.2 is a view similar to Fig. `1 with the front brush member'removed to `more clearly 'show the construction lof the device;

Fig. 3 isa cross -Vsectional view taken along 'the line 3--3 of Fig. 1;;

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 4-4 4of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 `is a fragmentary 'top 'plan view ofthe nozzle 'and brush assembly, showing `the `two adjusted 'positions of the brush frame 'relative 'to the nozzle.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the improved attachment of the present invention' is shown 'as comprising a suction nozzle A which, in shape 'and form, is similar 'to the nozzle conventionally utilized heretofore for cleaning rugs and carpeted areas. The nozzle A vis formed with .an oblong-shaped outlet passageway `Il which extends outwardly, e. rearwardly, Vaway from the nozzle in a substantially yhorizontal plane from `the top .thereof .and terminates in a cylindrical socket portion I2 of circular cross section. Received in this socket portion l2 is a suction tube elbow tting t3 which has an upturned 'flange I4 at its Yinner end where Vthe elbow fitting may be .pivotally Vsecured .to the socket l2 at .its axis -of .rotation by .means of the screw I5. The opposite end of the elbow tting i3 Ais adapted to detachabl-y receive the end of a suction .tube rvIt .shown in dot and dash lines in Figs. l .and .in the usual manner. As will be apparent by means of the .above-da scribed connection, it is possible for the user to .manipulate the nozzle by using the suction tube It as .a :handle Vand it is ^possible torotate the .handle through a desired arc with respect to the nozzle.

Extending acrossfront fand .rear of )the nozzle .A area pair of brushes 20 and '24 which are comprised of the brush v=bacl-zs .2l and 2.5, respectively., .and a plurality of vbristle .tufts 2:2

and 26 extending downwardly therefrom. As illustrated in the drawing, the brush backs may be formed of wood with the bristle tufts embedded therein in the usual manner. The brushes and 24 are rigidly secured to cam plates 21 and 28, respectively, by means of a plurality of bolts 29. The cam plates 21 and 23 are formed into a rigid frame generally denoted by reference letter B circumscribing the nozzle A by means of end plates and 3l. A soft rubber bumper 32 extends around the brush backs 2| and 25 and the end plates 3E] and 3l to insure that the head may be utilized Without marring or scratching furniture and like articles in the path of the brushes.

The frame B formed by the cam plates 21 and 28 and end plates 30 and 3l closely ts along the front and rear of the nozzle A but is sufficiently elongated to permit relative movement between the frame B and the nozzle A in an endwise direction, provision for such movement being necessitated by the mounting of the cam plates 21 and 28 and hence the frame B on the nozzle A. As shown more clearly in Fig. 2, the cam plates 2l and 28 are formed with a plurality of slots 35 (shown four) in which are received pins 36 extending horizontally from front to rear through the nozzle A. The slots 35 are inclined at their central portions and are provided with fiat, horizontal portions at their ends. As will be apparent, when the frame B is moved to the extreme right-hand position, as shown in Hg. 2, the frame B is forced upwardly by the camming action of the central inclined portions of the slots 35 and pins 35 l so that the brushes 2B and 24 are raised above the lower edge of the nozzle A and will be releasably held in this upper position by engagement of the pins 3E in the at portions of the lower ends of the slots 35. When the frame B is moved to the opposite extreme, the action is reversed with the frame B being forced downwardly so that the cam plates 2l and 2B are brought to the lowermost position with the brushes 20 and 24 extending below the lower edge of the nozzle A and being retained in this position by engagement of the pins 35 in the at portions of the upper ends of the slots 35. Inasmuch as there are no springs or similar devices effecting this action and there is no need to employ any levers or similar actuating members, it is necessary only to exert a light pressure or tap one end of the frame against a convenient object which will quickly move the brushes from the raised to the lowered position, or vice versa, as desired. As will be understood from the above description, the brushes 2| and 25 are securely xed to and move with the cam plates 2l and 28 and, if desired, they may be formed as a single unit.

A top plate 33 extends across the top of the frame B and is adapted to t relatively snugly around the nozzle A when the frame is moved to the lowermost position thereby insuring that air will be drawn in through the bristles of the brushes as well as improving the appearance of the attachment.

As will be understood from the above description, the attachment or head of the present invention is an all-purpose head which may be secured to the suction tube of a tank-type vacuum cleaner and may be utilized to clean rugs and carpeted areas or bare iloor areas without removing or replacing the attachment and with all the effectiveness of the plurality of attachments heretofore required. As will be apparent, the frame B in the upper position is spaced a suicient distance above the bottom of the nozzle A so as not to interfere in any way with the operation of the nozzle and without preventing the use of same in corners and the like for cleaning rugs and carpeted areas. If it is then desired to clean a bare iioor area, it is necessary only to tap the attachment against a convenient object or the foot of the user, which immediately lowers the brushes to a position where the bristles 22 and 26 extend below the lower edge of the nozzle A. In this position, the brushes extend along and beneath both the rear and front of the nozzle so that the nozzle acts merely as an extension of the suction tube causing the suction to be applied within the brush thereby causing the air to be sucked in through the brush bristles, thereby providing a desired cleaning action for bare floor areas and permitting the bristles to come into contact with corners and the like.

It thus will be seen that there has been provided, in accordance with the invention, a highly useful and eflicient device for facilitating the normal cleaning of floor areas, particularly where such floor areas include both rugs and bare floor sections. With it, the operator can advance continuously through the room, cleaning the various types of flooring as encountered without raising the attachment from the oor and merely by tapping the head against some object being able to convert the head from rug cleaning to bare iioor cleaning form. The device is of simple construction eliminating all unnecessary parts, is simple to use and convenient to handle, and is not any more cumbersome than the single purpose attachments heretofore provided for tank-type cleaners.

As many changes could be made vin the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the language used in the following claims is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

I claim as my invention:

l. A combination brush and air nozzle attachment for vacuum cleaners of the tank type comprising a nozzle member having an elongated, downwardly extending open end adapted to be moved over a carpeted area in intimate Contact therewith for cleaning same, means for detachably connecting the nozzle member to the suction tube of a tank-type vacuum cleaner, a brush assembly comprising a frame of greater lengthv than the nozzle member adapted to extend around the periphery of the open end of the nozzle member and a plurality of brushes extending downwardly thererom in the front and rear of the nozzle member, and mounting means for positioning the brush assembly comprising a plurality of pins extending through the nozzle member received in a plurality of inclined slots in the frame of the brush assembly whereby the brush assembly will be moved up and down as` it is moved longitudinally with respect to thev nozzle member and the frame willextend beyond an end of the nozzle, said slots being formed with substantially horizontal end portions operative in one longitudinal position of the brush asi-` sembly for retaining the brush assembly with the brushes spaced above the open end of the nozzle member to permit the cleaning of carpeted areas and in the opposite longitudinal position of the brush assembly for retaining the brush assembly with the brushes extending below the open end of the nozzle member whereby the attachment may be utilized for cleaning bare floor areas, said brush assembly being free to move vertically and horizontally within the range permitted by said pins and slots in response to pressure on either end of said frame.

`2. A combination brush and air nozzle attachment for vacuum cleaners of the tank type comprising a nozzle having an elongated, downwardly extending open end, means for detachably connecting the nozzle to the suction tube of a tanktype vacuum cleaner, a frame of greater length than the nozzle adapted to be moved in an inclined direction to and from a position about the open end of the nozzle and extending outwardly from an end of the nozzle, means interconnecting the frame and the nozzle comprising a plurality of outwardly extending pins mounted on the nozzle and received in inclined slots in the frame whereby the frame may be moved upwardly from and downwardly toward said position about the open end of the nozzle when a force is applied to either end of the frame, said slots being formed with substantially horizontal end portions for receiving the pins when the frame is moved to the extreme longitudinal portions with respect to the nozzle, a cover member for said frame extending across the end portions of the nozzle, and a pair of brushes secured to said frame at the front and rear of the nozzle and arranged to extend below the open end of the nozzle when the frame is in its lowermost position to provide a brush attachment for cleaning bare floors and to be spaced above the open end of the nozzle when the frame is in its uppermost position to provide an attachment for cleaning carpeted floors.

3. A combination brush and air nozzle attachment for vacuum cleaners of the tank type comprising a nozzle having an elongated, downwardly extending open end, means spaced from the open end adapted for detachably connecting the nozzle to the suction tube of a tank-type vacuum cleaner, a brush assembly comprising a pair of brushes extending exteriorly along the front and rear of the nozzle and suiciently elongated to permit longitudinal movement of the brush assembly relative to the nozzle to positions where the brush assembly extends beyond either end of the nozzle, and mounting means comprising a plurality of pins extending laterally outwardly from the nozzle and a plurality of slots in said brush assembly for receiving said pins, said slots being formed with substantially horizontal end portions and intermediate inclined portions whereby in one extreme longitudinal position of the brush assembly the brush assembly is held with the brushes extending below the open end of the nozzle and whereby the brush assembly is moved to and held in an elevated position with the brushes above the open end of the nozzle when the brush assembly is moved to the opposite extreme longitudinal position, said movements being responsive to force applied to the extending end of the brush assembly.

4. A combination brush and air nozzle attachment for vacuum cleaners of the tank type comprising a nozzle having an elongated open end,

means extending outwardly from the nozzle and spaced from the open end adapted for detachably connecting the nozzle to the suction tube of a tank-type vacuum cleaner, a frame of greater length than the nozzle extending around the periphery of the open end of the nozzle, said frame being positioned closely adjacent the exterior surfaces of the front and rear of the nozzle and being sufficiently elongated to be movable longitudinally of the nozzle so as to extend beyond either end thereof, brush members mounted on said frame extending along the front and rear of the nozzle and exterior thereto, a cover for said frame having an elongated central opening through which the nozzle extends, and means interconnecting the nozzle and frame comprising a plurality of pins mounted on the nozzle and extending transversely outwardly from the front and rear of the nozzle, and a plurality of inclined slots in the frame for receiving the pins whereby the frame may be selectively and freely moved up and down relative to the nozzle by forcing it longitudinally of the nozzle as by pressing the ends of the frame, said slots being formed with substantially horizontal end portions for retaining the frame in an uppermost position with the brushes spaced above the open end of the nozzle and in a lowermost position with the brushes extending below the open end of the nozzle.

5. A combination brush and air nozzle attachment for vacuum cleaners of the tank type comprising a nozzle member having an elongated, downwardly extending open end adapted to be moved over a carpeted area in intimate contact therewith for cleaning same, means for detachably connecting the nozzle member to the suction tube of a tank-type vacuum cleaner, a brush member of greater length than the nozzle member comprising a pair of brushes extending exteriorly along the front and rear of the nozzle member, and mounting means operative for selectively positioning the brushes above and below the open end of the nozzle member when the brush member is moved longitudinally with respect to the nozzle member to extend from either end of the nozzle, said attachment being utilizable as a brush for smooth iioors when the brush member is in the lowermost position, said mounting means comprising a plurality of pins on one of said members and inclined slots in the other of said members receiving the ends of said pins, said slots having substantially horizontal end portions for retaining the pins when the mounting means is in the uppermost and lowermost positions, respectively, said mounting means and said brush member being free to move vertically and horizontally within the range permitted by said pins and slots in response to pressure applied to either end of the brush member.

FRANK G. WALKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of recordV in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,753,799 Martinet Apr. 8, 1930 1,869,157 Lang 1- July 26, 1932 2,219,802 Bjorkman Oct. 29, 1940 2,249,463 Dunbar July 15, 1941 2,324,111 Ross July 13, 1943 

